(JTA) — A sign identifying the Chabad Jewish student center at Texas A&M University was vandalized and then stolen.
An unknown vandal was caught on a surveillance camera kicking and knocking down the sign, and then returning to steal it, the local media reported. The incident occurred between 3 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. Sunday.
The incident is not being investigated as a hate crime, but the head of the Chabad center, Rabbi Yossi Lazaroff, told the local news station KBTX that he believes the Jewish center was targeted.
“This is a very serious matter,” Lazaroff said, according to Chron.com. “This is a religious center, this is a synagogue and this type of behavior is something that is very surprising to me because in my 10 years that I’ve been here we’ve never had something like this happen. This was damage, this was vandalism.”
A crowdfunding page was launched Sunday to raise money for what Lazaroff said will be a bigger and better-lit sign.
In August, a 13-foot blue and white Hillel welcome banner was stolen and then later returned.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
